Sing a Melody of Love
by Seto Vene
Summary: We've worn these masks for so long. You, who I never looked at until today, have given me what I desired most.
1. An introduction

Hello, and welcome dear readers! You just chose to take a look at "Sing a Melody of Love" by myself, and a dear, dear partner of mine. Yes. This is a collaboration. I don't own the picture by the way. And I hope the artist doesn't mind my using it. I'll change it eventually. When I can draw something decently myself. Now, there are things that must first be clarified before you begin reading the story.

The first thing you should be aware of, is that this story originally started as a role play between me and a wonderful person known as Darkchibi. The style will thus be a bit different then what you may be use to. But before you choose to just close out, let me give examples of how this will go.

When there is only two people in the room, one person shall have their thoughts, actions, and dialogue in bold. This will most likely be done with Claus and Ness. So, for instance:

"We're going to eat him..?" Lucas blinked and looked at the shark, a noticeable hint of remorse and pity on his face as he stared at the creature. "I feel sorry for him..."

**"Really? I don't. He tried to make you into his own lunch." And no one is allowed to do that. Lucas isn't on anyone's breakfast, lunch, or dinner menu. He'll fucking burn them all to a crisp if they even tried. This shark is an excellent example of that.**

-This was a scene that took place in a separate role play, that you could consider to be a prequel. Said prequel will be the next topic we discuss. But after another example.

In the case of when there is about three characters, one will still be in **bold**, another in _italicize,_ and the third person in regular. _Italicized_ characters will also be other people, such as the random man or woman. Example:

**Claus smirked, satisfied now that Ninten wasn't laughing. He would probably regret it, but for now, he didn't give a damn and looked back at his brother. "So. Anything in the bag? Or did you use it all when you were panicking over me?"**

_"Huh? Ah, no there's still some food left...Um...How did you get like that anyway?" He grabbed the bags of food, checking to see if they had enough left to last them a week or two, a few other supplies they would need were in the bags too of course._

Ninten slowly picked himself up off the ground, brushing off any dirt, and pulled out a cookie to munch on. He didn't lose that much health after all, because he could be boss like that, and didn't seem that affected by the lightning bolt. After all, he planned to overrule Ness one day, so he had to train a lot, getting stronger and stronger.

**"Oh, you know. The usual. Ninten and I were going at it and he hit me with a PK Thunder Supreme." This was his excuse whenever Lucas tried to kill him. At least, if Ness or Ninten are in the room it is. He didn't want his brother to feel guilty after all. "What did you buy anyway? Besides what you tried to shove down my throat."**

-You can count on Claus to almost always be in bold. The times he won't be, is when more than three characters are included. When that happens, then it will pretty much be in role play format. Somewhat. Ex:

Lucas: "Huh? Alright then..I guess I can try..." He turned to Claus and smiled at his brother, deciding to see if he would play as well, "Do you wanna play too, Claus?"

Claus: If he even cared to pay attention to anything anyone were talking about, he would say no. Partially because even with emotions, he didn't care for video games, and also because, well, he _can't_ play them. He only has one hand.

Lucas: "We can both play together!" His smile remained, showing his twin his hand and taking hold of his brother's. "We'll just both hold the device and press whichever buttons are closer to us!" He only knew how to do this because he saw the controllers on the floor. It looked remotely easy.

Ninten: "Ho hooo! You're a pretty quick learner! You got all that from just looking at it?"

Lucas: "Well, I don't think there is another purpose to it, is there?"

Ness: "Nope. That's pretty much it." Will they actually be able to play together though? The older Claus doesn't seem to even be listening right now...But who knows. Maybe he'll surprise them and turn out to be an awesome game player.

-Another example provided by the prequel. Which may or may not ever be posted as an actual story. It depends on what all of you lovely readers say.

The only other thing is regular description. That will be put in _italicize _as well. That's all for formatting at the moment. There shouldn't be anything else. If there is, I'll be sure to add it here and in whatever chapter.

Moving on, I mentioned a previous role play twice. Three times now. This contains much background information regarding the cause of certain events, and other things. If you wish to figure it all out on your own, or would rather wait for the prequel to be properly formatted and posted, then I suggest you skip this portion and dive straight into the story. If you're confused though, don't blame us. We have a lot of shit to cover. Which reminds me, there is cussing. Quite a bit of it. There are hints of sexual activity, alcoholism, and other things as well. If you are easily made upset, you might not want to read this, as it is darkly themed. Though we would love to know if we made you tear up a little, as it would let us know how well we're doing here.

That aside now...

_**Warning. All content from this point onward shall contain information about what has occurred before this story. If you do not want to read about the prequel, and other things such as an alternate AU that is also a sequel to the prequel, then either skip to the end of the section, or simply start reading. Thank you.**_

It is now time to discuss events that occurred many months earlier. Firstly, be aware that in this story, Claus is alive. As I'm sure you've gathered already. However, this story also takes place after Mother 3, so he _should_ be dead. And he was. Let me explain why this changed.

After Lucas witnessed his brother's death and pulled the final needle, life for him mostly returned to normal. Unfortunately, this way of living did not last long. Lucas eventually ended up being sucked into the world of Super Smash Bros. A well known game amongst Nintendo fans I'm sure. This is where he meets Ness and Ninten (though he was never included). After a specific event occurs a couple years later in the place, Lucas falls depressed. Ness, in desperation, finds a way to bring back one of the closest people to Lucas. Since Hinawa isn't exactly fit to brawl, it was of course Claus that came.

Despite being revived, Claus still had his cannon arm and a mechanical red eye, his helmet, sword, and basically the exact same outfit he wore as the Commander. All he lacks is the mechanical wings. However, he was completely normal otherwise. After a quick battle with Samus, he went charging off to find his brother. A little later, he and Lucas disappeared for a couple of days, off training in a world provided by Master Hand. When they return two days later, they discover that their future selves were now standing in the very room that Lucas and Ness share. Meaning, there was now Two Ness', two Nintens, two Lucas', and two Claus'. The new ones were two years older than them, and appeared to be in terrible condition.

**_MAJOR PLOT SPOILER HERE. UNLESS YOU'RE THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT LIKES TO KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING WITH SHIT, I SUGGEST YOU SKIP THIS. BECAUSE THIS WILL EXPLAIN A GOOD DEAL OF CRAP THAT OCCURS BOTH IN THIS, AND IN THE AU I MENTIONED EARLIER._**

The truth of the matter, was that the future for all four boys was not bright and happy. They did not recall the events that happened in Smash Manor, their memories altered because of other things. Lucas was sickly pale, incredibly thin, did not talk, and his eyes held no emotion in them. The other three were also thin, but not anywhere near as skinny as Lucas.

Why this is, and this is where the spoilering comes in, is because Claus went to war. Said war was won, however, supposedly, there were no survivors from either side. Lucas, unable to accept this, basically went insane. No one could touch him, he couldn't eat, mentioning Claus became a taboo, and it was common for the blond to injure himself by smashing vases, glasses, windows, and the like. He was also being haunted by a demon.

This demon looked exactly like Claus when he was still the Masked Man. Wings included. However, he did not speak, and you could not see his eyes. Neither Ninten nor Ness believed in the demon, and just said it was all in Lucas' head. This is what made him continuously hurt himself. He eventually did it so much, that he became unable to use his right hand.

And then Claus returned. He had been in a coma for two-long years. Despite this though, Lucas was unable to accept his existence as real, and reacted as he would whenever he saw the demon. Claus stayed with Tessie then, until Ness suddenly came and started babbling about Lucas running away. Shit happens, and now the two are brothers again. Unfortunately, Mr. Demon Claus didn't go away. Everyone became aware of his existence. I can't say what happens after that, because honestly, that would spoil the entirety of the story. That, and we haven't gotten that much further with it yet.

However, I will say this. The demon makes it's final appearance in the time that the older boys meet their younger selves.

**This is my last warning to you. Unless you want a whole story to be entirely summarized and spoiled, I suggest you stop reading this background. It won't ruin this story per say, as it is a paradox of some sort, but it will certainly ruin the other one.**

This is when the demon's existence is explained in full. Pit, the one that originally brought Claus down, joins all eight boys and answers all of their questions. It's discovered that Claus is, in fact _not_ alive. Not entirely that is. Before he could rejoin the living, he had to make a decision. Become a demon, or become an angel. He chose demon. Regretfully, this choice ended with the death of Lucas. This is what brought Pit to the room. By request of the younger Ninten, he brought Lucas back. Though, like Claus, he had to choose between demon and angel. He went with angel, resulting in the loss of his memory, and having it altered.

What does this have to do with anything? Well, first of all, keep in mind that the Ness, Lucas, and Claus in this story have no recollection of these events. Notice I left out Ninten's name. And though it was the older Lucas that became an angel, the one in this story carries the same abilities, and does have wings, though they do not show. Claus, having died long before any of that, has been a demon the entire time. None of this is exactly shown in the story, but it is hinted at and mentioned rarely. Claus does not know what he is. Please keep this in mind if you actually read this.

Please also keep in mind that this is an alternate version to the events mentioned above. Things will not be exactly the same. Though, the beginning to the point where Claus returns to Tazmily, is exactly the same. It is not included here for this reason. If you wish to learn about what happened while Claus was in the war, and what happened before that, you will have to review, or PM me so that I know. Thank you.

_**End of background information and** **spoilers.**_

If you read all of that just now, kudos to you. I hope it doesn't ruin anything for you. But hey. It's not like I didn't warn you or anything.

That aside, in the case you don't want to figure the pairings out for yourself, I will list them here.

There is a total of four to maybe even six pairings. If you squint, you will see Ness/Paula and Ninten/Ana. Otherwise, it's Ness/Lucas, Claus/Lucas, Ness/Ninten, and Claus/Ninten. There will be no sexual scenes, just kissing at most.

Now, because this is a role play, there are strong chances of updates happening at least once every two weeks. If not sooner. Much of this has already been played out, and we continue it every day. So never fear. You won't wait five months for a new chapter.

And extra little side note, in case anyone is curious, I play as Claus, Ness, Fuel, and other civilians in Tazmily. Darkchibi plays Lucas, Ninten, Tessie, and just random people, as well as villains.

Claus can be very talkative, as you'll learn.

I believe I've covered everything of major importance now, so, I thank you once again for reading and deciding to try out "Sing a Melody of Love." I pray that we don't disappoint you. That said, off you go!


	2. Coming home

_He spun in the water, before breaking his head out to the surface, struggling for breath. Dammit, that wave had just written his own death sentence, hadn't it? He gasped and choked, desperate for air, but nothing was returned to his desperate lungs. His body started to lose it's strength, slowly sinking into the water. He tried to fight against it, trying to pull his body back in the water, but his body..Just felt so heavy, and his head was too fuzzy...His body started to sink more, his hand only to be seen as it to was slowly sinking. Blue...Everything...Was so blue...But that was changing too, because it was getting darker and darker...Damn...He was going to die like this? That was kinda lame...Guess it can't be helped though...He needed his inhaler to get air...And he was still a little far from shore...Well...This was it..He was going to drown in a place called Summers...His hand sunk completely in the water as he lost consciousness from the lack of air, slowly starting to sink deeper and deeper into the dark depths of the ocean._

Ninten: He cracked his eyes opened, and groaned, his head killing him. Ugh. Damn. Waking up with another headache..._Not fun_. He rose up from his bed, and walked out of his bedroom, his stomach growling as he smelled breakfast.

He traveled over to the kitchen, cringing a little at the sight before him. Ness and Lucas being all...Lovey dovey. It made his stomach twist. It bothered him. Not only because Lucas didn't remember Claus at all, acting as if he didn't even exist when he got that letter...But because...Well...He didn't finish the thought, unable to. It would break that little mask he was wearing if he thought of it too much.

He cleared his throat a little so that the two knew he was there before speaking, "Morning."

Ness: He looked away from Lucas, moving away just a little for Ninten's sake, and smiled ever so slightly at the younger boy.

"Hey, Ninten." In all honesty, he really shouldn't be so happy. The only reason he can be with the blond like this is because Claus was gone, and Lucas had no memory of him. Which is absolutely terrible. But he _was_ happy. Things happen after all. And he wouldn't want Lucas to worry or anything. It was best to just treat it as another part of his past. It's over and done with, thus, no need to think of it.

Lucas: The blond blinked, looking away from the stove momentarily, and smiled at Ninten, giving him the same cheery greeting as always, "Good morning!"

Ninten: He managed a small grin towards the two. "Morning you two love birds," he said a little teasingly as he searched in the fridge for a snack. Lucas was making breakfast, but he was too hungry to wait. After all, a snack wouldn't fill him up, and he was always in the mood for Lucas' cooking. They were all moving on. After they were told Claus didn't survive the war, Lucas broke down. He was a complete mess for weeks. Ness and he were greatly concerned about him, especially when he tried to kill himself one day. But...Then just one morning, Lucas woke up, and greeted them good morning, wearing that smile they hadn't seen in awhile. They were both shocked and confused of course, only to find out, that Lucas forced himself to forget Claus. A defense mechanism in his mental state Tessie explained...He wasn't sure what to think of it. In some way, it was a good thing, because Lucas wasn't like he was before and now smiling...But...It just felt wrong..He shook his head at the thought. It was better this way though...Hopefully...And Ness and Lucas were happy together, so...

Ness: He leaned against the counter, rolling his eyes a little at the "love bird" comment. True as it was, at least he had the courtesy to tone it down quite a bit whenever Ninten walked in. He knew it made him feel awkward and uncomfortable after all. But damn...If Claus was watching them from wherever he was, how would he be feeling right now? Probably pretty pissed. And sad. But he at least doesn't have to worry. Everyone is moving on, and Lucas is living happily. That's all that matters.

Lucas: He blushed a little at the comment, his face a light shade of pink as he flipped the pancake to the other side to cook. He couldn't make eggs anymore though. He forgot how to, which was a little odd, because he liked eggs. Every time he thought to much of it though, his head would hurt, so he stopped trying to think of why he would forget to cook eggs. Pancakes and bacon were good anyway. "Did you sleep well?"

Ninten: He made a sound of acknowledgment to Lucas' question, closing the fridge door, before sitting at the table and giving a yawn.

"You two weren't that loud last night, so I slept juuust fine." For once. He took a bite from the apple he had grabbed from the refrigerator.

Lucas: His face burst into a deep shade of red before he turned to give Ninten a shocked and flustered look, exclaiming in embarrassment, "N-Ninten!"

Ninten: He grinned at him, and took another bite from the apple. "What? It's true after all." Speaking like this...Teasing the two...It didn't hurt his chest as much. In fact, it eased the bitter feelings, and he was able to actually grin for real, just for a little bit, but he meant it.

Ness: He managed to hide the sudden embarrassment he felt, or at least...He mostly managed to hide it. There was still a small tinge of red on his cheeks though. He honestly wasn't sure how to respond to Ninten's teasing. He never was the greatest when it came to things about relationships. Yeah, he was with Paula for a little bit, but it was during their journey, and only a couple weeks after, so he wasn't able to gain much experience from it. Plus...She was a girl, so it wasn't unusual. Now he's with a boy, and they're living with another boy, who may or may not be against homosexuality. He probably wasn't, but it did make things awkward either way.

Ninten: He yawned again and stretched, getting up from his seat. "Meh..I'm gonna take a walk to wake up a bit..."

Lucas: He glanced over towards Ninten worriedly, blush gone and expression nothing but honest concern. "Are you okay...?"

Ninten: "Huh? Pfft, Course I am!" He gave a grin, though this one was void of any real joy. Not that they noticed.

"I'm just gonna take a walk. The food should be done once I get back, 'cause I have awesome timing like that of course!" He put his shoes on, and headed out the door, giving one last grin, "I'll be back in two shakes! Don't you two eat all the food!"

Lucas: He gave a small laugh, turning back to the cooking food before responding cheerfully, "Depends on how long you make us wait!"

Ninten: "Heh, Later you two. Don't do anything naughty in the kitchen while I'm gone~" He laughed at the expressions on both of their faces before he shut the door behind himself.

Lucas: His cheeks were still a little red from the new comment, placing a pancake on the plate before making another one. "Jeez..! He's always teasing us!" He huffed a little in, his embarrassment back entirely now. And he just stopped blushing too!

Ness: He smiled, watching the blond cook. "That's Ninten for you. Always joking and teasing." It certainly made things less uncomfortable. No need to have continuous awkward silences. Lord...That would just be terrible.

Lucas: "Yeah..I guess...But..Do you think he really is okay with this?" He looked over at Ness, his concern showing once more. He noticed...Ninten hasn't been acting the same as he use to. He doesn't even wear his hat anymore! Lucas of course, wasn't aware that they both had been acting a little differently, unsure how to really act, what with Claus being dead, and him having no memory whatsoever about the ginger. None at all. There wasn't even trigger memories. Claus was completely erased from his mind, and it bothered Ness and Ninten that he was forgotten like that so easily.

He blinked, noticing the expression on Ness' face. "You okay? You looked sad there for a moment..."

Ness: He blinked, smiling again and breaking from his moment of sorrow to answer, "Nah, I'm fine. I just remembered something is all. It isn't important though. But...As for Ninten, I actually don't know what he really thinks. He's pretty good at hiding his true emotions." Well so is he, but he doesn't hide himself as much. Not unless he's feeling unhappy. That was the only time. He didn't want anyone to worry. He hated that.

Lucas: He nodded, flipping the other side of the pancake. Some days, Ninten didn't seem to mind them being together, and other days, he would just seem a little off. He wasn't sure why though.

He sighed a little. "He can be hard to read...But I guess that's because I'm not as close to him as I am to you. He smiled at Ness a little as he said this.

Ness: His own smile widened a little at that, nodding, before he frowned a little. "Yeah. But I've known him for a long time. It bothers me when I can't understand how he actually feels about something." He valued Ninten's comments, opinions, and feelings on things quite a bit. If the other was bothered, then...Well...He wanted to know. If only to find a way to make things easier on him. It wasn't right when the youngest member of their small family was unhappy. It wasn't right when _any_ of them were unhappy.

Lucas: He nodded in understanding, knowing the two were good friends. They came to Tazmily together after all. "Maybe you can try talking to him? I noticed you two don't seem to be hanging around with each other a lot lately..."

His eyes widened a little, as if hit by some sort of realization. "Ah, it's because of me, isn't it? I've been too clingy...He looked down at the floor sheepishly, suddenly feeling guilty. For some reason, he just couldn't let himself be alone. He always had to be with someone, and generally that someone was Ness.

Ness: "Unfortunately, I don't think it'll be so easy. If Ninten is actually bothered by it, he won't say anything, and he'll just act like he has been. He'd probably deny me if I asked to hang out with him..."

He sighed a little, his frown deepening just a little before continuing, "It isn't your fault though. And even if it were, it would also be mine. I could always just tell you no or that I wanted to spend time with just Ninten." He never did though. His attention was almost always on Lucas.

Lucas: "Guess we're both at fault then..." He let out another small sigh. They had to do something to cheer up Ninten...Even though the other seemed to be cheerful, it didn't feel like he was...He knew Ness didn't notice when Ninten's grins were fake, and he didn't want to point it out. It worried him though. Why was Ninten's smiles and grins fake? What was he so upset about? He sniffed, smelling something burning, and turned, exclaiming a little as he noticed one of the pancakes were burning, and rushed over to fix the damage.

Ness: He fell silent after that, starting to get lost in thought. _Was_ Ninten unhappy? He wouldn't be surprised...Back when they were both in Onett, the other was pretty clingy. So was Tracy...But that was completely understandable. And it wouldn't be odd if things hadn't changed. Maybe he should talk to him...He could at least try, right? It would be better than pretending to not be worried at all.

* * *

Ninten was walking down the road in a slight daze as he munched on his apple, drowning in his thoughts. He had developed feelings for the oblivious male, Ness, since about...Let's see...About a few months ago. Well, he realized in that time. But he probably always liked the other boy. It didn't help he was his first kiss...His cheeks would have flared at the memory if his mask wasn't on so tightly that it concealed his emotions. Ah, he remembered that day...He nearly died from drowning, and the lack of air. Ness dove into the water, and gave him CPR, saving his life, and kissing him at the same time. Well, not really a kiss. But their lips were touching, soo..He shook his head. He wished he could be that boy again. The one who wasn't aware of his feelings. It hurt when he saw Ness and Lucas kissing, or being...Intimate, or hearing them being even _more_ intimate in the other room when he's trying to fall asleep. It made his stomach twist. He cursed himself for realizing so late. But...Lucas needed Ness. Sure, he seemed fine, but he still needed emotional support. And he was quite clingy and affectionate to Ness...He shook his head again, cursing to himself. Dammit, Ninten, don't think about it. You'll have to go back over there, so don't have your mask cra-...Who was that walking over to where he was?

He squinted a little to get a better look...The sun must be playing tricks on him. Or maybe when he thought of Lucas, he thought of _him_, and was now seeing him for some reason. No...Just. No way. He must be imagining this...

**But he _wasn't_ imagining things. That person in the distance was Claus. Very much alive, albeit looking quite exhausted and a bit out of it, but still alive. But...There was something different about him. And it was incredibly noticeable. His arm wasn't metal anymore...There was a hand, and flesh there. Or at least, that's what it looked like. In reality, it was still mechanical, just well disguised so no one would tell the red head still hadn't noticed Ninten though. He was too busy thinking and glancing around, remembering his beloved home. It's been two years after all. He missed it all so much...It's been too long. Everyone had been fooled into thinking he was dead, courtesy of the General and that damned scientist. How he hates that man...And mainly because he used him as an experiment. Granted, he had his right hand back, but still...**

"N...No way..." he breathed out, dropping his half eaten apple on the ground as he stared at the other boy in shock and disbelief. Oh hell..No...Just..._No_. Why did he sense that shit was about to hit the fan? Oh, right, because it probably would soon. No wait, maybe he _is_ just imagining this! He is kinda half asleep after all! And maybe...Maybe there was something wrong with the apple he ate! Yeah! That must be it! He just ate something bad, and now he can see dead people! ...No, wait, that thought didn't form right in his head. As he saw "Claus" get closer, he noticed that his cannon arm was gone. Okay. Yup. He's imagining this alright, because as much as he remembered, Claus didn't have a human arm. Still, he was frozen stiff, unable to move as the other boy got closer and closer to him. Oh shit..He forgot his inhaler back at the house to...

**Claus stopped, only about ten feet away, spotting Ninten. So that's who he gets to see first, huh? Wonderful...How to approach this now...There was noway he could just walk up and say, "_Hi, Ninten. How are you doing? I'm feeling just dandy right now. You know...After being supposedly dead for a couple of years_," it doesn't work that way. Maybe he should just turn around and head back. As badly as he wanted to go home and see his twin again, he needed a proper way to let everyone know that he wasn't dead. _"Seeing is believing,"_ bullshit. They would need some kind of proof or _something_ to make them fully believe it wasn't some kind of lie. He wouldn't believe it either if someone such as his mother just came strolling through the door. Yup. He'll just turn around and head to Sunshine Forest or something. Maybe bathe in the hot spring for a bit...**

He felt himself tense a little, seeing the image of Claus stop, and stare at him, an unreadable expression on his face. So he noticed him, huh? Wait. No. Images don't notice people, because it's in their heads! Still...Something just...Just didn't feel right...

He blinked, noticing that the Claus look-alike turned around, and started to head the direction he came from. ...What. The. Hell. An unexplained fury started to boil up in his chest, despite thinking it was just something he was seeing in his head. He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth tightly, and bolted toward the figure, jumping off the ground so he could use his body as a cannon or arrow, hitting the other directly in the back as he did, both of them tumbling on the ground. He felt that. That was real. There was impact, and an "Oomf!" of pain from the other. Claus was here. Some fucking how, Claus was _here_. ..._And_ he tried to leave. He rose up from the ground, gnashing is teeth together as he walked over to the ginger, who was just picking himself off the ground, and gripped the front of his shirt, raising his fist in the air, his whole body trembling, eyes shadowed by his bangs.

**He braced himself the instant he saw the fist raised, his shoulders tensing and expression remaining neutral. He wasn't surprised by the reaction. It was completely reasonable. If it would make Ninten feel better, than fine. He can go ahead and punch him in the face. He wasn't going to say anything. Not until he heard a question asked. It's not like there was much he _could _say given the current circumstances. Well...Okay. He could probably start off with an apology or something, but, that just wasn't him. Besides. It'll likely just make the other even more pissed at him.**

He wanted to hit him. Every fiber in his body wanted to hit him. Make him bleed. Make him feel what they felt. But he stopped himself, his whole body freezing for a moment as he stared down at the other in cold fury. Lucas. He doesn't know about Lucas. Or Ness...He grit his teeth, hearing a small crack when he did, and slammed his fist a few inches were Claus' head was, still trembling. He stayed like that for a moment, before he slowly drew his fist back, still looking at the other male icily. It was new, that was for sure, to see Ninten like this. But he changed in the two years Claus was gone, and even grew a little bitter. Ninten noticed the expression on Claus' face when he didn't punch him. When he saw the bitterness and fury and coldness in his being. He let go of his shirt, and stood up, not saying a word, and still staring at the other boy laying on the ground.

**Claus only blinked, picking himself off the ground, not bothering to dust himself off, and stared at Ninten. He's changed. A lot by the looks of it. He's never seen so much bitter fury reflected in the others eyes. It was new. It didn't even seem to be directed at him. At least...Not completely. What had he missed..? Being gone for so long, anything could've happened. Just please tell him that no one died...Like Lucas...He had no idea how his twin may have reacted when he received that letter. He almost didn't want to know. He might not be able to handle it. But. It's been harder for those three. They had to bear with the pain for so long...It made him feel horrible. Knowing that he nearly failed to keep his promise, and he caused all of them to suffer. He felt god awful. And seeing Ninten of all people like this, definitely didn't make things seem any better.**

He stared at Claus, saying nothing for a moment, his gaze cold, but now unreadable. So many thoughts were swarming in his head. But he had to stay calm. Claus was in for one hell of a torturous ride, and he had to support him. He clenched his fists at the thought, but his anger remained. He needed to know. Just where the fuck... "They said you were dead," he spat out. His voice must have been cold and sharp as razors, because he saw Claus flinch.

**Claus felt his his body jerk a little, the coldness in Ninten's voice cutting him like daggers. He spoke quietly, but with a tone that kept his words firm, "I know. They lied. There was a surprise attack at the base. I received a head injury and fell into a coma. I'm only alive because of my PSI and the doctor that was there." He was also the _only_ survivor besides said doctor and the General, but he didn't include this. **

**"I would've returned sooner had I been able..."**

Ninten stared at him for a moment, letting the words sink in. He was quiet for a moment, before his body started to shake. He started to laugh a little, before it slowly started to increase, now breaking out into insane cackles, his head up, facing the sky.

"_**A coma? **Are you fucking kidding me?" _ He roared with more laughter, clutching his head as he continued to shout and laugh.

"A coma! A _fucking _coma! Since when did our lives become a fucking _soap opera_?" He laughed, harder and harder, tears stinging his eyes from laughing too hard. But there was nothing joyful or funny about it. No humor in the laughter. It was harsh and cold. The person he had been concealing in himself within the mask he wore came out at the instant of the others explanation as to where he was in the past two years. The person he became after dealing with so much. The only one to remember of their price, and never being able to see his family again. Claus' death. Lucas forgetting Claus. Lucas and Ness together. Always being ignored or left out. Always always _always_!

**He said nothing to this, falling silent yet again. Oh yes. It was quite clear that he had missed quite a bit. This must be the first time he's ever seen such a side to Ninten. The _real_ Ninten, if you will. Who would've thought that he'd be the one to see it first? He could feel a bitter smile begin to tug at his lips at the thought. There was something just so incredibly wrong about this. And he was the primary cause. Isn't that wonderful? He broke that mask that Ninten always took such care to formulate and keep strong. Oh...So much misery was heading his way, wasn't there? Call it a punishment for abandoning your precious little brother. This is just the beginning. Then you'll learn about everything that has happened, and your already guilty conscience will worsen a hundred times more.**

Ninten calmed down after a moment, his laughing dying out, and piecing back a little of the mask he wore. He would have to make sure it was completely fixed when he headed back to the house. He refused to let Ness and Lucas see his true side. He didn't want to spoil their happiness, or cause them trouble. Besides, there would be nothing they could do, so there was no reason for them to even be aware of it.

He wiped a few tears away from his eyes that were caused by his bitter laughter, taking a deep inhale of breath, and looking at Claus. "So. You woke up from a two year coma..." He laughed a little, but it was a half-hearted chuckle. Not the boisterous cackle.

"Wow...I thought that only happened in t.v shows or movies...Un-fucking-believable..." He should probably warn Claus, huh? About how his precious little brother didn't remember him in order to keep himself sane. That his precious little brother was with Ness and doing intimate things with him. Oh, yeah, that first part was already going to be a hard blow...

**"Didn't we all...And to make it sound that much better, some quack doctor replaced my cannon arm with a mechanical one. Seems pretty real doesn't it?" He held up his right arm, which did indeed look quite legitimate, his bitter smile not going away as he spoke. **

**"It can even fire PK and PSI. Just like my left hand. It's like an upgrade of sorts. He offered to fix my eye too actually, but I decided to keep it. So. I told you what the fuck happened to me, care to enlighten me on what the hell turned you so bitter and spiteful? I'm sure I'll just _love_ what I hear," he had no reason to speak with so much sarcasm and resentment. Ninten did nothing wrong after all. Most of it was directed toward himself. He never spotted the warning signals. That Mecha Drago...Heh. It was honestly like a repeat of their past. Minus some fat ass trying to destroy the world and him having to battle against his brother. It was just the basics. Something terrible happened, he charged off, a Mecha Drago appeared, and then he went to war and nearly died. Funny how that works.**

He didn't seem all that affected by the sarcasm or resentment in the others voice, unfazed by it all. He looked over at the arm that use to be a cannon. Huh. So it was somewhat normal now. Still metal, and now covered with synthetic skin, but it was better than nothing. He looked at Claus, his gaze and expression remaining the same, though a small pain reflected in his eyes, his eyebrows furrowing. How should he tell him this? That his little brother no longer remembered him? He sighed a little. Might as well get this over with.

He gave Claus a warning glare, speaking sternly, "Don't fall apart once I tell you. You'll only make it worse on all of us, and I suck at comforting anyone." He knew what he was saying was unfair, but goddammit, everyone's happiness would shatter. Lucas would become confused and worried, Ness wouldn't know what the _fuck_ to do. And himself? Well, he would just simply watch as things fall apart, since he was completely useless making people feel better.

He inhaled and then exhaled through his nose, parting his lips open after a moment and speaking, "When we heard that you were dead...Lucas fell apart. Well, was slowly falling apart anyway. For a few weeks he tried to remain the same, and even still wrote to you, even though he knew...Denial I guess. But...After Boney died..He just snapped. He tried to kill himself many times, and he just wasn't the same. He didn't laugh. He didn't smile. All he did was scream and cry. Me and Ness didn't know what to do...But...Then. Just one day, Lucas was normal again. He was smiling and laughing, his stupid big blue eyes all shining and stuff. We didn't know if this was a good thing, or a bad thing...But then we found out after questioning him."

He stared at Claus for a moment, not sure if he should...No. He has to.

"He doesn't remember you. He completely erased you from his memories. Tessie explained that it was a defense mechanism for him. In some ways, it was a good thing, you know? Besides, we all thought you were dead, so we all thought it was for the best, and an easier way for Lucas to move on..."

**Claus stayed silent, his expression remaining neutral as he let the information digest. Lucas...Didn't remember him? He died, and now just doesn't exist to the blond? His little brother...His darling little brother...He can't call him that anymore. He can't walk into that house and embrace him. Hell. He probably couldn't even live there anymore. His home wasn't his home anymore...Scream. He wanted to scream. He wanted to yell, punch, and hurt Ninten for telling him something so terrible, because it just couldn't be true. Lucas would never forget him so easily. No. It was simply impossible. They were always so close. A bond like that...It couldn't be thrown away just like that. It doesn't work that way. How dare this person tell him such a lie. How dare he...How _dare_ he. But...No. This is Ninten. He may have changed over the years, but that by no means means that he has turned into a rotten little liar. He wouldn't joke about something like that. And if he was, well...He would have to make him _suffer_ for it. Because you don't tell him, Claus Itoi, that his precious twin wasn't exactly his twin anymore. How could he accept something like that? After he spent so much time clinging to the thoughts of being able to return home and be with his sweet brother. Those thoughts...They all just flew out the window. He was sure he was having difficulty breathing right now. His eyes were closed, his hands hanging limply by his sides, and what was likely the most painful expression he has ever worn was being expressed on his face. How badly he wanted to shout, accuse, and deny that information. But he couldn't. Because that would just make the situation worse. He can...Hold it...In...Another day. Another time. Another place...He'll let it all out when no one can hear, and no one can see. No one will worry then...He could always just shut down. Then he just wouldn't feel anything at all. But that would also just make it worse. He couldn't do that...He'll just suffer through it. He'll cry and sing himself to sleep. Maybe if he can retrieve his sketchbook...It was still there after all. He never removed it from its hidden place inside the desk. He can let all his pain and anger out with that...He just hoped that no one ever found it...**

Ninten watched the expression that was formed from Claus' face as he said this. First there was fury, anger and pure denial. He was ready for the other to wrap his arms around his throat and choke him to death. Claus was close to doing it too he could see. But then it stopped, and pain was shown on the others face as he clenched his fists tightly. He could only half understand what he was going through. It must have been painful. To lose his twin that way...

"In all honestly, as much as it must hurt to hear this, it was better he forgot you. At least, when we thought you were dead. He was a mess. He tried to kill himself almost constantly. He wasn't able to move on, and every day he would drown in his despair...But now..." he sighed a little before continuing, "Now that your alive, he probably won't be able to deny it anymore. Who knows. He might remember you eventually. Just prepare yourself if something happens or he reacts badly to it. I don't know...Ness said that even though Lucas seems fine, his emotional state is pretty fragile...He can't even be left alone for two seconds without flipping out. I guess in some ways, he does remember you a bit, subconsciously anyway. And I'm sure you want to scream, or go all emo and shit, but don't. Yeah, like I have a right to say something like that to you, but you'll just make it worse if you snap, and shutting down won't do shit. Thinking about it will only make it worse. Just swallow it down for now."

**He knew that already thank you very much. And he already understood that it was better for Lucas to forget. It would be too much to bear with otherwise...He wouldn't let his own pain get to him. No matter how badly he wanted to cry his heart out. For their sake...He'll keep it all locked up. He'll put up his own mask. He knew how to act when he needed to. Lucas...Would he still be able to detect his true emotions? Maybe not...He hoped he wouldn't...He...Didn't want him to remember...Because he doesn't want to see him in pain. But at the same time, he wanted his brother back. He wanted to hold him and apologize a thousand times over. He wanted to kiss him and tell him how much he loved him and never wanted to leave him again. He couldn't do that though. Because now he's just a stranger...An odd stranger that came from a faraway place where thousands of people were killed. That's it. He wasn't a citizen of Tazmily. He was just a fifteen year old boy with a red eye, a fake arm, a sword strapped to his side, and a helmet on his head. He was thin, and a little pale, with little muscle. And he was always in constant pain. But he would never show it. He would fool everyone into thinking there was nothing wrong. They'll ask, _"Oh, Claus. Why are you staying with Tessie? Shouldn't you be with Lucas?"_ and he'll say, _"Don't worry about it. I just thought I'd spend time with Tessie for a little. Lucas understands,"_ maybe it won't be those exact words, but it'll be something around those lines. No one will have to know...Just how badly things fell apart inside...**

The younger boy stared at him a little longer, and sighed.

"Let's go. If you want your twin back, you're going to have to work for it. And by doing so, you'll have to stay here. You came back, so you gotta sew what you ripped. I'm not blaming you for everything that happened, but it's called taking responsibility. Pft, yeah, I know, weird, me saying this, isn't it? But it's the truth. You can stay in my room or something. I don't mind. A little bit of company would be a nice change," he said this a little bitterly, though it wasn't directed towards the red head.

"Don't fucking say no either. Deal with it. You want him back, you're going to have to stay with us, and wait until he does remember. You came back, and your going to _stay_ goddammit. Your not staying at Tessie's. I don't fucking trust you being there. Because then you'll probably never come back to the house or say hi or some shit. Fuck that," he spat out, before he took a deep breath, trying to repair his mask so Ness and Lucas wouldn't see his true self. He knew Ness had no clue, being the oblivious idiot he is, and Lucas, well, Lucas had his own problems to deal with, but he seemed aware that Ninten was unhappy.

**He snorted slightly, opening his eyes and looking at Ninten, his expression void of any of the feelings he felt. His mask was already on apparently. Amazing how quickly he can bring it out and put it on. **

**"Guess you know me better than I thought." Because he was right of course. He wouldn't have returned if he went to stay with Tessie. She would pester and tell him to go home, but he'd probably just refuse and continue to put it off. It would hurt, yes, but he could deal with it. When it gets to be too much, he'll just go out on a walk to clear his head, come home, and draw. That would be best.**

**"Don't worry. I won't run away. Just don't freak out or anything if you discover I'm not in the house. I'll probably just be outside walking or some shit. And if I'm staying in your room, keep in mind that I have a tendency to stay up late at night and sketch things." Normally, he wouldn't tell someone this. But Ninten could be pretty sharp. He'd find out eventually. There was no point in keeping it hidden from him. He didn't really care anymore either. As long as Lucas doesn't see it. That's all he cares about. Everyone else can look through it, just not Lucas. Because that might bring him unwanted memories. And that wouldn't be okay.**

Ninten grinned at him, his mask completely back on as well.

"Well, I'm not stupid like I use to be. And let's just say I remember a few things other can't..." It was true. He remembered how things turned out before, when Lucas didn't forget. How he became, and what happened afterwords. A part of the price, he assumed, for him and Ninten to live here, instead of Ness being stranded in the middle of nowhere forever. He remembered Smash manor, everything. Maybe that's why Lucas was able to forget Claus so easily, and continue to smile? Hm...Wonder if he still could take his wings out...

He nodded at Claus's explanations, "I don't really care what you do, just as long as you don't go all emo, or leave. Ah, or kill Ness. Because him and Lucas are together now too, though it's really no surprise." His grin widened a little.

"Just tease them or something about it. It makes the awkwardness go away for a bit. I still think it's awkward for boys to be with other boys, but I'm not judging." He gave a shrug as he walked down the dirt path, Claus a little behind him. He wouldn't let anyone know. He would continue to pretend he was uncertain about boys being together. It was easier that way for him.

**Ninten remembers things others can't? Interesting thing to know. He won't ask about it though. It isn't his business. Now. What did he just hear about Ness and Lucas?**

**"...What. Fucking Ness." Of course he'd go and take Lucas all for himself. Goddamn him. Stealing his precious twin like that. "I'm not making promises. I'm going to kill him. Just not for awhile." No need to make Lucas upset by killing his...Boyfriend...Goddammit. **

**He sighed slightly, speaking irritably, "Guess I'll have to settle with teasing..." That wouldn't be nearly as satisfying, but what can you do? "Anything _else_ I need to be aware of before I start living with you three idiots again?"**

"Nope. That's pretty much it. Nothing has changed much since you left except with everything I told you. Oh, and Lucas can't cook eggs anymore. He completely forgot how." Hm..Wonder what face Ness would make if he saw Claus at the doorstep, alive and well? It would be interesting to see, that's for sure.

**"He forgot how to make eggs?" How does that even make sense? "But that's like...The easiest dish in existence..." You crack an egg or two, put them in the pan, let them cook for a few minutes, and they're done. Easy. **

**"I could make them with just one hand for lord's sake." Just...Lucas. What. How can you forget something so incredibly simple? It's one thing to forget your brother, but...Eggs? And omelets? That's just...He doesn't even know...**

He shrugged, responding nonchalantly, "I guess because you liked omelets so much, eggs would remind him of you. He doesn't even try to make them anymore, so we don't buy them. Like I said, he may seem okay, but he's in a fragile state. He gets headaches a lot too, so we always have to buy headache medicine, because sometimes they get so bad, he starts crying."

He saw that the house was in their view now, and took a breath, "I don't know how he'll react when he sees you, so prepare yourself. I'm going to introduce you as my friend that just got back from war." Well, that's somewhat the truth anyway. It wasn't like him and Claus were close though. He wasn't close to anyone anymore. Even when it was just him and Ness, it was never just the two of them. His sister, or his friends were always there. He would always grin, and pretend it never bothered him though. What right did he have anyway? He knew Ness wouldn't be able to see them ever again afterwords, so he kept his distance. And then came Lucas and Claus, and he became even more like a ghost to Ness, especially with Lucas around. He didn't complain though, and just continued to grin like always. Because what right did he have, taking Ness away from someone that was precious to him...?

**Claus nodded, fine with this way of returning. Though, anyone that looked hard enough would be able to detect the uneasiness he felt. He just prayed this wouldn't end badly. **

**"That's fine." At least it was mostly true. He could answer any questions easily like this. If he's asked when they met, he'll just make something up. He'll just say they met at a tournament or something. Anyway. Brace yourself Claus. You're about to see your brother again, who may or may not recall who you are. Whatever happens, stay strong, and keep your actions and feelings in check. And whatever you do, don't let those two discover what's really going through your head. You can give extremely light hints, but that's all. Keep a joking tone in your voice, smile, and act like nothing is wrong. However, since you're returning from war, let a little bit of remorse reflect in your eyes and tone. After all. You lost many comrades. You can't act like you aren't bothered by it in the slightest.**

He didn't say anything after that, walking in silence. Really. Just what was there to say? He was sure Claus didn't want to be questioned until he was blue. Besides, he would have to answer everyone's questions, so he would spare him. And anyway, they weren't close, so it wasn't like he could say anything. And he sucked at cheering people up, so he was branded useless with that. Tch. He wouldn't be able to help at all. Oh well. At least he warned Claus of this.

He walked over to the door and opened it.

"I'm home~!" he exclaimed in a fake cheery voice with his fake wide grin that no one could see through. He deserved a fucking medal or something, acting like this for two whole years.

_Lucas smiled and looked over, doing the dishes, since breakfast had long since been prepared. "Welcome back, Ninten! There's still some food left, so help yourself!"_

"Don't mind if I do! Oh! And before I forget, I just happened to bump into my very good friend who just got back from one hell of a war while I was out walking! Isn't that awesome?" He looked over at Ness, giving him a quick warning look, as if not to say anything that might reveal the lie.

And then Claus stepped in.


End file.
